Switch
by Shimegami-chan
Summary: Duo and Relena are in for a surprise when a harmless wish on a crystal star brings a magnitude of problems! Who's who? And who gets Heero? 1x2, one-sided 1xR.
1. Switch -- Part 1

Gundam Wing and it's characters are copyright Sotsu, Sunrise, and some other people, don't own them and have never claimed to. Please don't sue me, you won't get much....   
  
  
  
  
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Heero: I want out of this fanfic.  
Shi-chan: That's what you always say. It's not like you've got a big role in this one.  
Heero: ....shut up.  
Duo: It's not another lemon, is it?  
Shi-chan: I don't write lemons!  
Duo: You wish you could. I know what you're thinking.  
Shi-chan: ....  
Duo: ....  
Heero: Can we get this over with?  
Shi-chan: Sure. Call Relena out here would ya?  
Duo: Wasn't this supposed to be a shounen-ai fic?  
Shi-chan: More than you know.  
Duo: Nani?!?  
Shi-chan: Well, Relena can't always be the villain ya know!  
Duo: Why not?!?  
Shi-chan: ::sweatdrop::  
-------------------------  
  
Switch  
~By Shimegami-chan  
Part 1  
SHOUNEN AI ALERT!  
http://nothingisforever.cjb.net  
  
  
  
Relena Peacecraft sat on a rock overlooking the deep blue lake, straining to see stars under the heavy blanket of clouds and fog.  
  
(OOC: Duo: "You've _got_ to be kidding me." IC:)  
  
The blonde girl tipped her head up to the sky, her eyes watering at the sheer beauty of it compiled with the strain on her torn heart. She had been blown off once again by Heero, after coming all this way just to see him. It was her only joy that Duo Maxwell, Heero's preferred companion, would be leaving the next day on a recon mission. Perhaps with Duo gone she'd have a chance with Heero?  
  
Relena tried to make herself beleive in the faint hope, but it was difficult. Getting to L4 and getting Duo sent on the recon--to observe the path of a frozen star far off on the edges of known space, far beyond both Earth and L1--had been Dorothy's idea, and Relena felt a slight twinge of regret at the plan she had sent into motion. No matter how badly she wanted him, was Heero's happiness--if you could call it that--worth sacrificing?  
  
//Then again,// thought Relena, //I'm sure I could make him just as happy as Duo Maxwell ever could.//  
  
No going back now. With Duo out of the way Relena knew that somehow she could make Heero see the error of his ways. Besides being in a tumultous relationship that she felt could never last, Heero was involved with another man. Relena believed herself to be modestly good-looking, yet Heero had chosen the long-haired American boy over her. //Nature's not supposed to work that way,// she told herself. //Heero shouldn't be attracted to a man. Why must he do this to himself? Why...why does he do it to me!?//  
  
Relena checked her watch as the hands ticked inexorably down to midnight. Not one star had shown itself to her, not even the fabled crystal star that Duo himself was going out to investigate the next day. On Earth she had been told that the dead, frozen star still shone brighter than any other in the sky. //"It's lining up with other stars nearby,"// Dorothy had said. //"Wouldn't it be fun if they intersected after all? Beautiful!"// Relena thought otherwise, but didn't tell Dorothy so. It seemed a safe enough mission for Duo just to get him out of her way, if Duo was killed and Heero thought Relena responsible...well, she didn't know what she'd do. //Just send him, Noin, and Zechs in to investigate--he won't even need his Gundam--record what happened to the crystal star, then leave. It'll give you a few days to straighten Heero out.//  
  
Literally.  
  
Leaning back on her cold perch, Relena wrapped her hands around her bare legs and shivered, trying to pull her skirt down furthur to cover her knees. Up in the sky a single light suddenly appeared.  
  
"There you are..." Relena said wonderingly. The fog had cleared around a single faraway star, gleaming in the midnight sky. Squinting, Relena noticed that this particular star had auras of light extending to its right and left, and idly she wondered if the light came from the stars Dorothy hoped would meet with the crystal star sometime that night.   
  
"Sa...otousan always said to wish upon a star...or three." Relena smiled to herself. There was only one thing she really wanted, of course.   
  
"Now, crystal star, or whatever you may be...my one wish is to have Heero all to myself." The light seemed to distort itself slightly through her tears, and she closed her eyes to squeeze them away.  
  
The lively sounds of the night faded into nothing.  
  
  
  
-------------------  
  
  
  
  
Relena awoke in a dream, what seemed like an eternity later. She was huddled under a mound of blankets an the bed, shivering despite being fully clothed.   
  
Beside her another warm body slept peacefully, and Relena nudged closer to it to take in its warmth. //Perhaps it's Heero, perhaps my wish came true.// But a dark veil hung over her eyes that she could not seem to push away, and she knew it was a dream.  
  
//Enjoy it while you can,// the little voice in the back of her mind told her. //Right now, he's all yours.//  
  
  
  
-------------------  
  
  
  
Duo Maxwell found himself having a rude awakening in the lake outside Quatre's small retreat residence. "What the _hell?!_"   
  
He dragged himself out of the muddy water, coughing up the semitransparent liquid on the cold ground. Why was it so cold in summer? How had he gotten in the lake anyway?  
  
Duo feverently hoped it wasn't Heero throwing him out of bed again--the last time that had happened, Duo had spent the night outside in the snow in his boxers, which was what he was wearing now, luckily with a black t-shirt for added warmth. Duo wondered idly if Wufei had dragged him out here after finding the honey in his shampoo. Why would Wufei be taking a shower so early--or late?   
  
Why was he sitting here sopping wet on the bank? In the blackness Duo stood up and started to walk back to the house, praying Quatre's housekeepers hadn't left any dangerous tools out in the yard where he could fall over them. Duo wished that he had left his hair tied back before bed this time--the chestnut mass was a horror when wet, and right now he couldn't keep idle strands of it from flicking into his eyes.   
  
Duo staggered up to the door and began to pound on it. "Wufei, I'm gonna kill you! If I cath pneumonia and die it's YOUR FAULT! WHAT THE HELL?!?!?" Duo's low baritone voice had jumped up to an alto without him noticing. "WELL I GUESS I'VE ALREADY GOT IT THEN! QUATRE! LET ME THE HELL IN BEFORE I BREAK YOUR DOOR!"  
  
The window directly above him opened and Duo perceived Wufei's pale face sticking out of it. "Shut up Maxwell, before I stuff that braid down your throat!"  
  
"Bakayarou! What are you trying to do, Wu-man, kill me?" Duo tried desperately to modulate his squeaking voice. "Listen to me! If I can't talk tomorrow, _you're_ going on my mission instead!"  
  
"That will be a blessing." Wufei countered. "Good night, _onna._"  
  
"BASTARD! QUATRE! HELP! IT'S TOO COLD OUT HERE! LET ME IN!"  
  
"Who's that?" A quiet voice inquired from the other side of the door.   
  
"Quatre? Oh, thank god. It's me, Duo; Wufei threw me in the lake again. I think I've got pneumonia or something. I nearly drowned! That bastard."  
  
"Duo!" Quatre cautiously opened the door and grabbed his friend's wrist. "Keep it down, Sally's sleeping on the couch in here. I'm surprised you didn't wake up the whole household."  
  
"Sorry." Duo growled. "Can you hit the lights? Make sure I'm not blue from lack of oxygen of something?"  
  
"Upstairs. Can you walk?"   
  
"Made it here, didn't I?"  
  
Quatre laughed quietly. "Your voice sounds really odd. A soprano with a sore throat."  
  
"Feels like it too. I probably breathed too much _water_." Duo was tempted to run to Wufei's room and toss the Chinese boy out the window.  
  
"Shh, Zechs and Noin are sleeping in the living room. There's a bathroom adjoined to it." Quatre gave Duo a little push in the direction on the open door. "The lights are inside, go about three steps and turn left, there's a lamp with a push button. Don't wake up these two, okay?"  
  
"Got it." Duo murmured. He took three steps and felt along the corner of the wall, and his fingers encountered a Tiffany lamp.  
  
"Did you find the lamp? Should I wake up Dr. Sally?" Quatre, avoiding the sleeping forms on the futons in the living room, levered himself to the door frame and gently closed the large wooden door.  
  
"Here's the lamp, Quatre. Don't bother waking up Sally." He turned the dim light on and inspected himself in the mirror. "She's probably--erk."  
  
"'Erk?' Duo?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Duo! Hey, are you okay?" Still nothing.  
  
"I'm coming in." Quatre put his hand on the doorknob and wrenched it open, taking care not to step on Noin's arm beneath him.   
  
"Quatre."  
  
The Arabian boy stopped short. "What?"  
  
"I think I may need the doctor after all. Unless I'm dreaming."  
  
"Kuso." Quatre, his eyes still adjusting to the dim lamplight, skidded into the roomy bathroom and almost ran into Duo...or was it Duo?  
  
He couldn't believe his eyes. "If you're dreaming, then so am I."  
  
"I was afaid of that." Duo sighed and dragged the wet strands of blonde hair away from his face. The face that Quatre was looking at wasn't the one Duo usually saw when he looked in the mirror, unless he was mistaken it closely resembled one he wasn't usually happy to see.  
  
"Duo..._are_ you Duo?" Quatre looked the bedraggled form up and down. The expression on Duo's face was one he recognized for sure, but the long blonde hair, fully feminine chest and bright green eyes distictly belonged to the one called Relena Peacecraft.  
  
"Hai...it's me all right, I think...why do I look like Relena?!? Why the hell am I a GIRL?!?" Duo's now=soprano voice had dropped so dangerously low that he almost sounded like his usual self.  
  
"By Allah..." Quatre rubbed his eyes again in hopes of erasing the Relena-mirage. "Relena..."  
  
A panicked Relena/Duo hurried over to the dazed Arab and shook his shoulders. "You saw this, Quatre, with your own eyes! I'm not Relena. I swear! What's going on here?!? Oi, Quatre-man, don't pass out on me now..." Quatre had turned a shade of pale quite similar to Duo's own, but Duo had attributed that to the dip in the lake.  
  
Duo's calling of his name seemed to snap Quatre back to reality...or what he thought was reality. "Duo..."  
  
Duo's green eyes narrowed dangerously. "Come with me."  
  
Quatre bit his lip. "Nani? Where?"  
  
"We're getting answers for this. Right now."  
  
  
  
--------------------  
  
Shi-chan: next chapter...  
  



	2. Switch -- Part 2

Gundam Wing and it's characters are copyright Sotsu, Sunrise, and some other people, don't own them and have never claimed to. Please don't sue me, you won't get much....   
  
------  
  
Switch  
~By Shimegami-chan  
Part 2  
SHOUNEN AI ALERT!  
http://nothingisforever.cjb.net  
  
  
  
Duo marched over Zechs and Noin and into his and Heero's room across the hall. //Thank Kami Heero's such a heavy sleeper.//  
  
With Quatre following timidly behind, Duo walked calmly to the side of the bed, prayed its occupants were wearing clothes, and threw back the sheets. As expected, another Duo Maxwell lay sleeping with his right arm thrown across Heero's chest and his left clutching the other boy's shoulder possessively.  
  
Duo determinedly picked up his lookalike, swung him over his shoulder, and was out of the room before the imposter Duo had even regained consciousness. 'It' awoke to being carried down the stairs backwards with Quatre's pale hand over its mouth. The other Duo tried to yell for help and the real Duo struggled a bit under his own weight, but the two pilots succeeded in getting themselves outside the house and down to the lake.  
  
Quatre lit a lantern with his left hand, still trying to shut the imposter up with his right. The lantern bathed the American boy in golden light and Quatre removed his hand long enough to ask, "Who are you?"  
  
The imposter kicked his way free and glared angrily at Quatre. "Quatre Raberba Winner, what exactly do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Answer me." Quatre's expression hardened in the harsh light.   
  
Duo spoke up. "Who the hell are you, and what were you doing in bed with Heero?"  
  
The imposter turned, took one look at Duo, and fainted dead away.  
  
  
  
----------------------  
  
  
"Well...that's progress for ya I guess..." Duo idly began braiding his hair while they waited for the unconscious boy to wake up.  
  
"You call that progress?"  
  
"Well, we're sitting outside in the cold at 1 in the morning, you're in your pajamas, I'm wearing...a skirt, or something...and I'm wet. I would worry about what the water did to my hair, except that this _isn't_ my hair!"  
  
The imposter, lying on the ground stirred. "Please tell me this was all a dream."  
  
"I wish." Duo huffed.  
  
Quatre leaned over the prone form and brushed the long chestnut bangs away from its eyes. "Are you all right?"  
  
"First things first." The enraged Duo-that-looked-like-Relena spat. "Are you Relena or aren't you?"  
  
"Y-yes." Relena-that-looked-like-Duo sat up with Quatre's assistance.  
  
"Good start. Now...do you happen to know _why_ I suddenly woke up at the bottom of a lake in your body?"  
  
"No...I mean yes...maybe..."  
  
"Relena." Duo stared her straight in the eyes. "Answer me."  
  
Some of the color had returned to Relena's face. "The last thing I remember was sitting on a rock by the lake, and looking at the stars. Then you and Quatre showed up. It was that rock there." She pointed.  
  
"Great, that explains the lake thing I guess...next question, how did I end up in your body?"  
  
"I have no clue." Relena confessed. "I don't understand it either."  
  
Duo looked pained. "Okay, _I_ was peacefully sleeping! I didn't do anything!"  
  
Relena looked uneasy still. "Well, I certainly didn't...oh God."  
  
"What?" Quatre inquired, noting the drain of color once again from Relena's Duo-ish face.  
  
"I...I'm not feeling well. I think I'm going into shock, maybe."  
  
Duo almost exploded. "HELLO?!?!? LAKE?!? COLD?!? BODY-SWITCHING?!?!? And you say YOU'RE in shock?!"  
  
"Duo! Calm down. Nothing's going to get solved like that." Quatre tried to control the raging American. "Maybe we ought to get back to the house and get some sleep."  
  
"Sleep." Relena agreed, suddenly placid.  
  
"I'd better take the bullets out of Heero's gun." Duo mused.  
  
"You're not going back in there with Heero!" Relena insisted.  
  
"What, and you think _you_ are?" Duo looked like he was going to throttle Relena right then and there. "Listen, I'm going on a mission tomorrow! I'm _not_ spending the night alone on the sofa, or in your bed!"  
  
"Calm _down!_" Quatre was glad he was there to intervene. "Miss Relena, I'm sorry, but this is up to Duo. You're a guest here. But Duo, be warned, if Heero wakes up and you're still in Relena's body, you'd better explain quick before he gets his hands on you."  
  
"He wouldn't dare!" A horrified Relena retorted.  
  
  
"Daijobu, Quatre, I'll take care of Heero. Meanwhile, let's get back in before I freeze."  
  
"Hn." Carrying the lantern with one arms and supporting Relena with the other, the three bewildered teens headed back to the house.  
  
  
----------------------  
  
  
  
  
Back in the familiar confines of their room, Duo quietly removed the ammunition from all of Heeros weapons and slipped on another pair of his own boxers and a t-shirt, thanking Kami that he couldn't see himself in the dark.  
  
Praying for a miracle before morning, the dazed pilot fell into a blissful sleep...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
--------------------  
  
Shi-chan: next chapter...  
  



	3. Switch -- Part 3

Gundam Wing and it's characters are copyright Sotsu, Sunrise, and some other people, don't own them and have never claimed to. Please don't sue me, you won't get much....   
  
------  
  
Switch  
~By Shimegami-chan  
Part 3  
SHOUNEN AI ALERT!  
http://nothingisforever.cjb.net  
  
  
  
"Relena, you had better have a really good explaination for this."  
  
Duo awoke from nightmares to find Heero's colbalt-blue eyes staring intently at his. Again Duo hoped he hadn't shed any more clothing during the right, and judging from the look on Heero's face he was still in Relena's body.  
  
"Now, Heero, trust me you know I do, just a second--" Heero's face was suddenly only an inch or two from Duo's and the American half-expected to feel Heero's strong fingers around his neck.  
  
Before Heero could do so, Duo sprang backwards with his hands and pushed off the wall, landing gracefully in a crouch by the door. He was glad his reflexes seemed like they usually did. "This is going to sound stupid and unbeleivable, Heero, but you've gotta listen to me."  
  
"Talk fast." The Japanese boy's expressionless face didn't move a muscle.  
  
"Uh, hai. Ano...I'm not actually Relena. I really am Duo." //Great start, Maxwell.//  
  
"Faster." Duo realized that Heero was probably being tempted to kill him with his bare hands.  
  
"I'm serious. It was a freak accident, Relena and I switched bodies last night...it sounds weird, but...I didn't want to sleep alone, and I didn't want to tell you in case we were back to normal by morning..."  
  
"So you slept with me. Relena! How could you? I should kill you right now!"  
  
"YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!" Duo bellowed. "I'm _not Relena!_ Bakayarou!" //Whoops, shouldn't have insulted him...//  
  
Fearing for his safety, Duo called out for the one person who might be able to help him. "_RELENA!!!_"  
  
Surprisingly enough Relena appeared at the door several seconds later, still in Duo's body and creatively dressed in a pair of khakis and a white collared shirt.  
  
Duo only stared for a moment. "What the hell am I _wearing?!?_"  
  
Relena glared at Heero and Duo-in-her-body. "What do you want?"  
  
Heero frowned at his lover-technically Relena.  
  
"Tell him." Duo insisted. "Tell Heero what happened last night."  
  
"Nothing happened last night, what are you talking about?" Relena said sweetly.  
  
"Relena, my voice doesn't _do_ that. And you can't make it. Just tell him."  
  
"Duo, what's she talking about?" Heero asked suspiciously.  
  
"Who, me?" Relena glanced around the room. "Oh."  
  
The real Duo tapped "her" foot exectantly.  
  
"Um, I guess there's no point it hiding it if Duo already told you. Something weird happened to me and Duo last night."  
  
Heero looked dangerously close to homicide.  
  
Relena continued, "For some reason I woke up in Duo's body, and he's in mine, and wedon'tknowhowithappenedorhowtoswitchback." She finished the end of the sentence in one breath.  
  
"Hn." Heero sat down suddenly on the bed.  
  
Duo winced. "Relena, can I braid my hair?"  
  
Relena started out of her wistful reverie. "Uh, you already did."  
  
"No, I mean MY hair." Duo looked longingly at the freshly-brushed chestnut mane hanging down Relena's back.  
  
Relena actually seemed to consider this option. "Are we telling the others about the body-switching thing?"  
  
"I guess so." Duo shrugged. "It doesn't really matter..."  
  
Relena looked reluctant. "Oh."  
  
"What's wrong?" Duo inquired. "You want to keep it under wraps?"  
  
"Somewhat."  
  
"Sa, ojousan..." Duo saw Heero's eyes flicker momentarily when he called Relena 'ojousan,' "any particular reason?"  
  
"Hai." Relena sighed heavily.  
  
Duo was starting to get a little worried. "Why?"  
  
"I think I may know how this happened. And how to fix it."  
  
"I'm all ears!" Eagerly Duo swung the blonde braid over his shoulder and grinned at Heero, who might or might not have been dead or unconscious, judging from his glazed, unfocused eyes.  
  
"Ne, do you know of that 'frozen star' phenomenon that you were supposed to investigate with Zechs and Noin?" Relena looked pained.  
  
"Hai..."  
  
"I think it might have something to do with the alignments of that star and the ones around it, causing some kind of reality disturbance."  
  
Duo looked impressed. "You sound like some kinda scientist. What exactly does this have to do with us?"  
  
"That, and the fact that I wished upon that star right before this happened."  
  
Duo's emerald eyes goggled. "You wished you were _me?_"  
  
Relena's indigo ones widened considerably. "Are you kidding? No!"  
  
Neither of the two pilots spoke.  
  
Relena looked wistfully at the Japanese boy lying back on the bed. "I wished that Heero was mine."  
  
This made Heero sit up and take notice. "Relena..." his voice held a dangerous edge.  
  
"God, Heero! When you make a wish like that you don't expect it to come _true!_"  
  
"Well, what do you want us to do about it?!" Duo exploded.  
  
"I thought that...well, if that's what caused it, when the stars either collide or move away from each other we'll return to normal. I hope."  
  
"Relena, for Kami's sake, where do you come _up_ with this stuff?!" the enraged American sputtered.  
  
"I'm SORRY, Duo! I _apologize!_ I didn't mean for this to happen! I thought...I thought that if that was why it happened this is a logical explanation to return things to normal!"  
  
"It makes sense..." came Heero's emotionless voice.  
  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? NONE of it makes sense!" Duo complained, moving over to sit in Heero's lap. The blue-eyed boy decided to let Duo stay there for the time being.   
  
Relena didn't even bat an eye.  
  
"Baka! So what, you don't want everyone to find out about the idiotic thing you did and the mess you got us into? Fine. After you check out the crystal star hopefully everything will go back."  
  
"When _I_ check it out?" she asked incredoulously.  
  
Duo looked exasperated. "Yes, you! This is your fault and your responsibility, and I know for a fact that you set me up on that mission in the first place. Now you're me, so it's yours."  
  
Poor Relena had nothing to say to this.  
  
Duo, _almost_ ready to let up on Relena considering everything she'd been through, jumped to his feet and grabbed a brush, then braided Relena's newly-washed chestnut hair into the loose plait people knew him so well for. Relena make no arguement. Duo then removed the gold cross from around Relena's neck and put it around his own, tucking it under his shirt.  
  
Duo looked worriedly at Relena, despite everything that had just happened. "Ojousan, are you okay? Gonna pass out again?"  
  
"No, I'm fine." Relena heaved a sigh. "I'd better get ready for that mission. Dorothy'll come too I'm sure."  
  
"Hai. I'll keep things stable on the homefront while you're gone." Duo winked cheerfully at Relena. "Come on, Heero, ojousan. I'm sure we can fix this." He tried to look optimistic for both their sakes but failed miserably.  
  
Finally Relena pointed out, "Duo, if you're going downstairs in my body but on something more than boxers and a t-shirt..."  
  
"Ah! Hai desu." Duo grinned and ushered both Relena and Heero out. "I'll be down in a second."  
  
As he pulled on a pair of black slacks and a red longsleeved shirt from his closet--regardless of the fact that they didn't fit him too well anymore--Duo wondered vaguely if sending poor Relena out into space was the right decision after all. //She brought it on herself,// thought the American. //It's her responsibility to get us both out of this.//  
  
  
//And fast.//  
  
  
  
---------------  
  
  
SO SORRY! This one's not done yet, I'll post it when I do. Comments, flames, etc, can be sent to duoxheero@nothingisforever.cjb.net , I'd love to hear from you!  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Switch -- Part 4

Gundam Wing is copyright Sotsu, Sunrise, etc, etc, I wish I owned these bishounen, but I don't, so don't sue me, okay?   
  
-------------------------------  
Shi-chan: About time I continued this one!  
Duo: I actually like this fic.  
Quatre: Duo...did you _have_ to wake me up for this?  
Duo: You have like 4 whole lines, Quatre! We needed you!  
Trowa: zzzzzz...c'mere, Quatre...  
-------------------------------  
  
  
Switch  
Part 4  
~By Shimegami-chan  
http://nothingisforever.cjb.net  
SHOUNEN-AIIIIIII! This chapter's a little shorter than the others, but I was trying to leave off at a good part. *wink*  
  
  
  
  
  
Duo decided that it would be worth his while to have a little fun with Relena before she left on the mission, so once he was fully dressed he swaggered down to the kitchen. "Hello, everyone! How are you today?"  
  
"Slept, late, hey, _Relena?_" The real Relena coughed out.   
  
"Good morning, Relena-sama." Quatre shot Duo a suspicious look. Duo offered him a grin. "Ohayo, Quatre-kun."  
  
"Good morning." Heero looked Duo in the eyes. Duo let out a pleased giggle and hopped over to sit in Heero's lap. Relena looked annoyed.  
  
Quatre gaped.  
  
Wufei gave Duo a disdainful look and said, "Onna, I would advise that for your own safety you get off Yuy."  
  
"Not a chance." Duo blew in Heero's ear. Relena looked like she was going to explode. She jumped up and ran into the next room.  
  
"Whatever could be the matter with Duo-kun?" Duo asked innocently. Heero looked sternly at Duo. "Hn."  
  
"Fine, I get the point." Duo grumbled and slid into the chair that Relena had just vacated. A dissheveled Quatre returned to the stove. Duo wondered just how much sleep the little Arab had gotten.  
  
Duo downed his breakfast and went after Relena, who was outside the house with Dorothy. "Hey Doro-chan."  
  
Dorothy crossed her slim arms. "Hello, Maxwell. We were just about to leave."  
  
"So soon?" Duo was somewhat disappointed, he hadn't been able to have much fun with their situation without Relena around.  
  
"Duo, I happen to want to get back to normal! I didn't end up with the beautiful body you're occupying!" Relena hissed.  
  
"Excuse me? Relena...let's not forget which one of--um, never mind."  
  
"I don't think I'm going to have you finish that sentence, Duo." Relena slung her bag over her shoulder and followed Dorothy into the shuttle. "Send Zechs and Noin out, would you? Hopefully by the time I get back this...situation...will be cleared up. Good-bye."  
  
"Ja ne, ojousan!" Duo said cheerfully. "Have a good trip!" He turned and ran back into the house. Zechs and Noin were coming down the stairs. "Saa! Zechs, Noin, the Great One is waiting in the shuttle for you."  
  
"The 'Great One?'" Noin wondered.  
  
"Why, Duo-kun of course! Have a good trip! Byeeee!" Duo clapped Zechs on the shoulder and ran up the stairs.   
  
Zechs shook his head. "She's acting so weird today."  
  
Noin shrugged and pulled him out the door.  
  
  
-----------------  
  
  
The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully, without Relena around Duo was finding it easier to keep his cover.  
  
Quatre cornered him at one point. "Duo?"  
  
"Hai?" Duo was playing absent-mindedly with the gold cross.  
  
"I was sort of hoping you'd gone back to normal."  
  
"No such luck," Duo laughed. "She'll be back in a couple of days...it should have reversed by then..."  
  
Quatre shook his head. "Oh, Duo..."  
  
  
----------------  
  
  
Late into the night Duo and Heero were in their room alone. Heero was patiently braiding Duo's honey-colored hair, Duo was bouncing up and down as usual.   
  
"You usually take your hair down before bed," Heero observed. "Why not now?"  
  
"Bah, it's too short." Duo held the braid in his hand. "Mine's longer. This feels weird. Looks weird too."  
  
Heero turned off the lights. "Better?"  
  
Duo laughed and leaned against Heero's bare chest. "Much."  
  
"Are you planning on sleeping in your clothes, koi?"   
  
"What shall I sleep in? I'm not going to wear a nightgown..."  
  
Heero thought for a moment. "Hn. I wouldn't object that much if you opted not to wear anything."  
  
Duo thought about the tank top and boxers he usually wore to bed, tossed in the corner of the room. //Nah, too much trouble.//  
  
"Fine by me!" he said gleefully. He stripped off his clothing and tossed them in a heap. "So, are you tired, Hee-chan?"  
  
"Are you?" Heero inquired.  
  
Duo leaned in and gave Heero a kiss. "Not at all."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
-----------------------  
  
  
Shi-chan: Hentai, hentai hentai!  
Duo: Please tell me this isn't turning into a lemon...?  
Shi-chan: Ooh, look, the Toshihiko song is on again!  
Duo: Hello? I don't want a lemon in Relena's body!  
Shi-chan: I can't write lemons...I wouldn't worry too much...  



	5. Switch -- Part 5

Gundam Wing is copyright Sotsu, Sunrise, etc, etc, I wish I owned these bishounen, but I don't, so don't sue me, okay?   
  
-------------------------------  
Shi-chan: *shrugs* Too many fics hanging in limbo...  
Seki: You said it.  
Shi-chan: *nods* So I'm going to juggle this one and "Jusenkyo Blues," around "Cool World," and "Behind Closed Doors," and work at them fanatically until I finish them all.  
Duo: Sounds like a plan!  
-------------------------------  
  
  
Switch  
Part 5  
~By Shimegami-chan  
  
Warnings: Shounen-ai, sap, fluff, mild language, etc...  
  
Music: "Hurricane! Go! Go!" from Cyber Formula.   
^^^(From now on I'm going to tell you what I'm listening to while I wrote the fic, sometimes it'll help you get the feeling of the fic if you have the song too)  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Um, yeah. ff.net is being evil and not letting me post "Death Becomes Him," so I'm making this my 102nd post. ^_^  
  
  
  
  
  
"You know, Duo...I've never held a girl before." The feminine hands teased his nipples and made him shiver.  
  
Duo looked up groggily. "Mmmm?"  
  
Heero quirked an eyebrow. "Seriously, I've never had a girlfriend. You were my very first...um...close friend. Like that."  
  
Duo giggled. "Really? I'm such a flirt, and I *was* with Hilde...are you saying that nothing at all happened between you and Ojousan?"  
  
"Nothing how?" Heero questioned.  
  
"I don't know...you didn't love her, kiss her, sleep with her?"  
  
"Um...no."  
  
Duo grimaced. "Well, pretend I don't look like her. I don't want to force it on you."  
  
"That's not nice, Duo!" Heero didn't look quite as mad as he sounded.   
Duo silenced him with with a quick kiss. "Gomen!"  
  
"Sorry. I'm just...I don't know. You don't feel like you any more."  
  
"Of course not." Duo laughed. "I feel female. Have you ever had...feelings for a girl? At all?"  
  
"No," Heero replied truthfully.  
  
Duo was silent for a moment. "Am I making you uncomfortable then?"  
  
"No." the Japanese boy whispered, putting a hand on Duo's slim stomach. "Because I know you're you."  
  
Duo froze for a second and snuggled closer to Heero. "Thank you, Hee-chan."  
  
Heero breathed in the scent of Duo's shampoo and touch of cologne. "You know, we probably shouldn't do anything."  
  
"I know." Duo sighed. "Feels like we'd be raping Relena eh?"  
  
"That, and the fact that despite everything you're still not turning me on."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"It's okay." Heero ran his hands over Duo's pale face and kissed his nose. "Relena will be back soon, and we'll get you back in your own body."  
  
"Hai." Duo yawned and snuggled closer, hoping that in the morning everything would be okay...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"YUY, YOU UNFAITHFUL IDIOT!"   
  
Duo woke to the shrill sound of Wufei's voice and sat straight up. "Wha--?"  
  
Wufei stared at him, eyes wide, and a trickle of blood dripped from his nose. He ran out of the room, leaving Trowa, Hilde, and Sally standing in the doorway.  
  
Belatedly Duo remembered how much he was wearing, and jerked a sheet up to cover his chest. "Chik'sho."  
  
Heero yawned and opened his eyes. "Did I hear my name?"  
  
Duo poked him and pointed at the door, where their stunned audience stood gaping. Sally finally managed to close her mouth and say, "My God, Heero, he was only gone one night..."  
  
This made Heero sit up. "Huh?"  
  
"You're unbeleivable!" Hilde fumed. "Duo's been gone for nearly a day and you're already sleeping with Relena! What kind of a man are you?!?"  
  
"Shit!" Heero shot a desperate look at Duo, who gritted his teeth. "Wait, we didn't do anything!"  
  
Wufei had returned, holding a tissue to his nose. "Rest assured that Maxwell will not be pleased with this. Yuy, you are scum."  
  
Duo looked pleadingly at Heero and whispered, "We promised her we wouldn't tell."  
  
"Hn." Heero calmly threw the alarm clock at Wufei, catching the surprised Aisan on the thigh. "Get out."  
  
Suddenly Wufei, Sally, and Hilde were muttering and trying vainly to get past Trowa, who was blocking the door. The unibanged pilot glared at Duo and said, "Heero, we came to tell you that we have a mission at nine-hundred-hours. Please join us downstairs." With that, he pulled the door shut.  
  
"A *mission?*" Duo yelped, jumping out of bed. "No way! What the hell did--oh, wait."  
  
"You can't go." Heero stated, pulling on his pants and shirt. "Not like that."  
  
"You sure you'll be okay? I mean, if Ojousan knew this was going to happen I'm sure she'd want me to tell everyone so I could go along--" Duo cut himself off worriedly. "Hee-chan..."  
  
"I'm sure we'll be fine. It can't be anything big," Heero replied. You stay back with the girls and keep them safe. Okay?"  
  
"Okay." Duo whispered, tucking his gold cross into his black t-shirt. "I'm just worried. You know?"  
  
"Hai." Heero gave his lover a gentle hug and they hurried downstairs.   
  
  
  
  
  
-----------------------------  
Shi-chan: La dee da, I remember why I liked this story so much...  
Seki: More soon!  



	6. Switch -- Part 6

Gundam Wing is copyright Sotsu, Sunrise, etc, etc, I wish I owned these bishounen, but I don't, so don't sue me, okay?   
  
-------------------------------  
Shi-chan: La de da, more 'Switch'...I will EVENTUALLY finish this fic...  
-------------------------------  
  
  
Switch  
Part 6  
~By Shimegami-chan  
  
Warnings: Shounen-ai, sap, fluff, mild language, etc...  
  
Music: "Jitensha Ni Notte," from Card Captor Sakura.  
  
  
  
  
"I'll be back soon," Heero promised, giving Duo a quick kiss on the nose that turned into a full-tongue make-out. //Let 'em wonder. Wish I had a camera to catch the look on Wufei's face.//  
  
"Be careful," Duo breathed, flicking his blond braid over his shoulder.  
  
"I will." Heero nodded and stode to Wing Zero, giving Duo a longing look. Hlde and Sally shot daggars at him with their eyes. Duo sighed, trying not be worried. Heero was a brilliant pilot, and they'd made it this far hadn't they? Anyway, he was with Trowa and Quatre and Wufei, and they were all perfectly competent. Duo forced himself to relax and pasted a smile on his face.  
  
"Well, girls, shall we get back to the house? We could play a game or something, I don't know...what do you think?"  
  
"Relena," Sally started, "I've always had the utmost of respect for you, but...don't you think what you're doing with Heero is a little...immoral?"  
  
"Nani? Not at all!" //I run, I hide, but I never tell a lie...and it's worth it seeing the looks on their faces.// "I love Heero, and Heero loves me."  
  
Sally looked skeptical, and Hilde looked like she was about to burst into tears. Duo bit his lip and moved to her side, brushing his fingers across his former girlfriend's cheeks. "You okay, babe?"  
  
Hilde blinked at the way 'Relena' had addressed her, then cast her eyes to the floor. "It's nothing. I just, um...I'm worried about how Duo...will..."  
  
"It'll be fine, I'm sure," Duo assured her, trying not to give out too much information and still keep the secret. As tempting as it was with his big mouth, he didn't want to spill it on Ojousan. As angry as she had made him stalking Heero and getting them both into this mess, he considered her a friend and didn't want to see her hurt or embarassed. //Or angry at *me,* for that matter.// "If it makes you feel better, I'll tell you this: Heero loves Duo with all his heart, and he and I didn't do anything last night. We just shared a bed." The sudden reversal of tactics disapppointed the practical-joker in Duo, but he felt better after seeing the flash of releif in Hilde's eyes. She was a good girl, and a good friend. Best to keep the casualties of this little fiasco to a minimum.  
  
"Oh." She blushed crimson and shared a look with Sally. The young doctor tugged Hilde and Duo toward the house. "Let'd get moving, then--we can have a 'girl's talk.' I'm sure there's plenty to discuss," she said, shooting a pointed look from Hilde to Duo. Duo blinked and allowed Sally to lead them into the house.   
  
Duo and Hilde seated themselves in the living room while Sally prepared some tea, and Duo earned odd looks from both girls when he was forced to add four teaspoons of sugar to his tea, plus milk. He didn't have tea often and would drink it when Quatre made it, but whatever tea leaves Sally had used were too strong for his taste. He preferred coffee.   
  
The girls seemed to be having a conversation with their eyes that stopped the moment Duo raised his head. "Nani? What's up?"  
  
Hilde set her teacup down and folded her hands in her lap. "Relena, I have something to tell you that I've been meaning to tell you for a long time...I think you may have noticed already, but you've been so hard to get near since Heero arrived."  
  
Duo put his cup down beside hers. "Oh? Go on, tell me!"  
  
With a last look at Sally, Hilde edged a little closer and took Duo's hands in hers, a feeling that sent chills of veja vu up and down his spine. He blinked in confusion. "Hilde?"  
  
"Relena...I've been watching you for a long time...and..."  
  
Sally nodded, urging the raven-haired girl on. Hilde swallowed and looked Duo in the eyes. "Relena, I think I'm in love with you."  
  
//You're what!?// Duo tried to force the words to come out of his mouth, but none came. Relena and *Hilde*!? He thought *he* was the only bisexual one around here! //Still...they *would* make a cute couple...// Duo smiled at the thought. "Wow, Hilde, I never knew..." he smiled brightly at her as the look of releif spread across her face. "I never would have thought..."  
  
"You're...you don't hate me? You're not totally disgusted?"  
  
"What? No way, Hilde! I just didn't expect...I mean--" he was cut off rather abruptly by the feeling of Hilde's ruby lips being crushed against his own, her sweet scent filling his nostrils, a sensation that still sent sparks through his body. His fogged mind reeled in the feeling and he was returning the kiss hungrily before he had time to think. //Hold up there, Duo. You and Hilde broke up months ago--what would she say if she knew? What would *Heero* say?// But it was hard to stop, because it felt so right. He had loved Hilde so much--they had just drifted apart, and then Heero had come along, and then he had revealed that he was bisexual, and now...now Hilde's lips intoxicated him again, when both their hearts belonged to another. With a wild cry he pulled back, his mind whirling. "I'm sorry! I can't--Heero--I..."  
  
Pain flashed in Hilde's eyes, and she blushed in embarassment. "I--I understand. I just thought..." Lower lip trembling, she ran from the room and pounded upstairs.   
  
"Wait! Hilde..." Duo slumped back against the couch. "I didn't mean it like that..."  
  
Sally sighed resolutely. "I wish you wouldn't delude yourself about Heero anymore, Relena. He and Duo are quite happy together, and they.." The young doctor continued to talk, but Duo was already blocking her out. How was he going to get himself out of this mess without destroying a few people's feelings? "...I'd better talk to her. Relena, you have no idea what you've just done..."  
  
"No," Duo said determindly, "I'll talk to her. It's my fault we're in this mess." //Sorry, Ojousan, but I don't lie. And this is for everybody's own good.//  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hilde?" Duo knocked lightly on the door. "Hilde-babe?"  
  
"Go away," the German girl hissed from inside. "I'm not interested in talking to you."  
  
"Hilde, I have something really important to tell you," he said mildly, fingering a lock-pick he had taken from his room.   
  
A moment of silence followed, then Hilde's muffled sob. "No."  
  
Duo sighed and deftly picked the lock before nudging the door open, yanking his cross out of his shirt so it hung at the base of his throat. "Hilde-babe, I'm not quite sure how you're gonna take this, so I'm gonna come right out and say it."   
  
Duo sat on the bed beside his former girlfriend and stroked his fingers through her hair, making her sit up and look at him. "What is it?" He eyes caught on the gold cross. "And why are you wearing--"  
  
"--shh." He put a finger to her lips. "I want you to promise me that you're going to at least think about what I say and not run screaming, Hilde-babe. For all of our sakes."  
  
"Why do you keep calling me that?" she asked suspiciously.   
  
"Hilde," Duo took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. "I'm not Relena."  
  
He gave her a moment to take it in, her mouth gaping open, her eyes traveling from his face to his cross to his hair. "That's impossible. You *are* Relena, look in a mirror!"  
  
"I tried that, babe, I tried that. Unfortunately I'm continuing to look like her, much to my dismay."  
  
Her eyes hardened. "So, on the off-chance, that I actually *beleive* you, who are you and where's the real Relena?"  
  
"I think you know the answers to both those questions, Hilde." Duo whispered hoarsely. "And I don't like them any more than Relena does."  
  
A spark of recognition flickered in Hilde's eyes as she touched her fingers to the cross around Duo's neck, then reached up to pull the blonde braid over his shoulder. "No way..."  
  
He nodded resolutely. "I don't lie, Hilde-babe. It's me."  
  
"....DUO?!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
-------------------------------  
Shi-chan: The addition of the HxR thing was totally spur of the moment! Heheheheh. Tell me what you think!  
  
  
  
  



	7. Switch -- Part 7

Gundam Wing is copyright Sotsu, Sunrise, etc, etc, I wish I owned these bishounen, but I don't, so don't sue me, okay?   
  
-------------------------------  
Shi-chan: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm SORRY! No, I did *not* drop off the face of the earth! I just took a short break from the endless fanficcing, became addicted to Digimon, found a boyfriend, broke my computer, and built three webpages, among other things. Also I've just not been in the mood lately, y'know what I mean? I wrote a short and not-too-successful Digimon fic about a week ago, and have been trying to keep up with my favorite serieses, but other than that I've barely been on ff.net at all.  
Ken: Also, she changed her penname.  
Shi-chan: Oh, yes. In the span of like...2 weeks...3 other Shimegamis mysteriously appeared. So I took off the '-chan' and added 'Ichijouji,' instead. Ichijouji means 'first temple.' How odd. But it sounds nice.  
Seki: She also recruited a new muse.  
Shi-chan: That's right! Ichijouji Ken will now be joining Duo and Seki as my third muse.  
Seki: Now we may actually get some work done. Ken *is* a genius.  
Duo: And I'm not!?  
Seki: No, you just never do any work.  
Duo: You take that back!  
Seki: Like hell.  
Shi-chan: Anyways, I had to force myself to work on this one as it was, but I needed to get *something* written. And Switch should be clueing up soon. I hope. Enjoy!  
-------------------------------  
  
  
Switch  
Part 7  
~By Shimegami-chan  
  
Warnings: Shounen-ai, sap, fluff, mild language, etc...  
  
Music: "Go Ahead," from Digimon--V-mon's image song! Kawaii!  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Someone in a review asked me where they could get the song "Amayadori." If you have AIM and you'd like a copy of one of the songs my songfics is set to, just IM me at ShimegamiChan. Thanks!  
  
  
  
  
Hilde's blue eyes narrowed. "I'll admit that this is an interesting way of dealing with it..."  
  
"What, you don't beleive me?" Duo blinked in surprise. "Are you serious?"  
  
"Of course I'm serious!" she retorted, but Duo could see shocked curiosity in her eyes. "That's impossible."  
  
"But it's true!" he cried. "I can't beleive you don't beleive me!"  
  
"I'm almost tempted to beleive you. You've never lied to me before."  
  
"I don't lie to *anyone.* Hilde, it's really me. Do you honestly beleive Heero would let Relena fawn all over him like that?"  
  
Hilde's mouth dropped open in shock. "I...I don't understand..."  
  
"I don't either, Hilde-babe. Ojousan thinks that that crystal star has something to do with it. Heero said that maybe the disturbance cause by the star imploding might have caused the switch...'coz right before it happened--um." //Shut up while you're ahead, Duo. Why I'm protecting *Relena* I'll never understand.// "--well, it was just weird. Ojousan and Dorothy have gone to check it out. Of course, that might not be the problam, but as long as we get back to normal, I don't care."  
  
He rushed on, not letting Hilde get in a word edgewise. "And that's the whole story. I couldn't go with the other pilots because Heero said it was dangerous, and 'Lena's gone, and they left me here with you two and now it turns out you have a crush on Relena and what am I supposed to do!? Oh God, don't tell them you kissed me while I was in Ojousan's body! She'll kill me! I mean, not that I know for sure she'll mind, I mean, she might like and have, like, given up on Heero! Or something! Um...sorry..."  
  
Hilde hadn't moved yet. "What you're saying...is..."  
  
Duo nodded firmly. "I'm NOT Ojousan. The cross and the braid should be proof enough of that. If not there's always the clothes..."  
  
"...the way you speak..."  
  
"You could ask Heero or Quatre if they were here..."  
  
Hilde's lip trembled a little. "I"m sorry." She emraced him briefly. "I beleive you. I don't know why, but I beleive you."  
  
"No problem, babe."  
  
She drew back rather suddenly. "Oh my God, I kissed you thinking you were Relena!"  
  
He nodded solemnly. "Yeah."  
  
"And you LET me?" Furiously she shot to her feet and stomped toward the door. "I can't BELEIVE you, Duo Maxwell!"  
  
"Hilde!" Duo jumped up and ran after her. "Where are you going!? Don't be mad! I stopped you! I just was too shocked at first! HILDE!"  
  
The petite girl stormed into the living room, Duo trailing meekly in her wake. Sally, still nursing her cup of tea, quirked an eyebrow. "Would it be a touchy subject if I asked what happened?"  
  
Duo was still protesting. "Hilde, I'm really sorry, I stopped you as soon as I realized--"  
  
Hilde shot a cold look at Sally. "This IDIOT--"  
  
Duo's pale face lightened several shades. "Wait! Hilde, did I tell you--"  
  
"--LET me kiss him!"  
  
"--you're supposed to keep thi--ACK! HILDE!"  
  
"My God, if you'd just *told* me that you were--itai..."  
  
"--a secret," Duo finished lamely.  
  
Sally could only gape at the two of them. "What do you mean, HE!?!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
------------------------------------  
Shi-chan: Bit confusing with all the dialogue, but it'll do. More soon!  
Ken: *nods in satisfaction* This looks like fun.  
Shi-chan: Finally! A muse who appreciates me!  
Seki: ....  
  
  



	8. Switch -- Part 8

Gundam Wing is copyright Sotsu, Sunrise, etc, etc, I wish I owned these bishounen, but I don't, so don't sue me, okay?   
  
-------------------------------  
Shi-chan: Same excuses as last chapter.  
Seki: And I quote: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm SORRY! No, I did *not* drop off the face of the earth!"   
Shi-chan: No, I fell into the Digimon section and got stuck. My apologies. Don't worry, I _will_ finish this, as well as my other GW fics. Reviews are good for helping me get the ball rolling. On with the fic!  
-------------------------------  
  
  
Switch  
Part 8  
~By Shimegami-chan   
Warnings: Shounen-ai, sap, fluff, etc...   
  
Music: "La Resistance," from South Park  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Someone asked me why I didn't continue this story. The simple answer is that a) I forgot, b) I'm lazy, and c) I've been writing tons of one-shots and Digimon stories lately, not to mention the occasional Yami no Matsuei story. My apologies. I'm getting around to it, I swear!   
  
_**Important Note!**_  
  
_Don't worry, it won't be here much longer..._   
  
Meet my shameless plugs.  
  
['In Your Shoes,'][1] a Kenyako, (Digimon) chapter 4 updated on May 30, and ['Sadness-Colored Sandglass,'][2] a Kensuke, (Also Digimon) chapter 12 updated on May 26. Thanks minna-san!   
  
  
  
  
  
Sally shot to her feet and stood face-to-face with Duo, staring hard into his blue eyes. "I think I deserve an explanation _now._"   
  
"Eh-heh." Duo felt himself blushing a deep red. "Explain...um...oi, Sally! I'm a guy!" He turned to Hilde. "That good enough?"   
  
Hilde scowled and raised her hand as if to slap him. "No."   
  
Both women were managing to leer down at him, even though he was easily as tall as Hilde. "Well?" they chorused.  
  
Duo did the only sensible thing he could think of at the time.   
  
He ran.   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
  
//I run, I hide, but I never lie.// Duo chanted under his breath. //I will not lie. I must not lie. I--argh!// He fell back onto his bed with his head in his hands. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?!"   
  
He nearly fell off the bed when Hilde burst in, panting heavily. "Duo! We've got a problem!"   
  
"Sally wants to kill me?" Duo whimpered.   
  
"No! The other need backup--like _now._ Sally and I are supposed to take the Tauruses and meet the Maguanacs and the other Gundam pilots as soon as possible. Are you coming or what?"   
  
Duo launched himself off the bed. "Damn right I'm coming! Deathscythe, baby, get ready, we're going into battle!"   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
  
Within minutes Duo, Hilde, and Sally were settled in their mobile suits and ready to go, to Duo's delight. Sally wasn't talking to Duo, which suited him fine--Relena could deal with her later, as far as he was concerned. His main priority was getting Heero and the others out of there safely. The suits blasted through the sky, not even bothering to conceal themselves, putting speed first and cover later. Hilde had informed him hurriedly that the message was _urgent._   
  
Up ahead, Duo spotted Nataku attacking an unfamiliar OZ suit with his Serpent's Arm. With a whoop of delight he yanked out his double-bladed scythe and sliced through another suit approaching the Chinese pilot. Comm activity was almost nil, except Quatre's cry of "Duo!" when he caught sight of Deathscythe Hell. The rest was heavy breathing and the occasional grunt of pain or concentration. After a few seconds the Maguanac suits appeared on the horizon, adding even more power to the Gundam forces.   
  
The battle was short and bloody (A/N: Much like this chapter! *giggle*) after that; between the army of suits the OZ forces were diminished and destroyed, until four Gundams and some 40+ weaker suits hovered over the scene.   
  
Trowa was the first to speak. "Where's Heero?"   
  
Duo's high-sensitivity radar pinpointed a cluster of about 12 suits no more than two kilometers north, but he couldn't see them. It had to be Heero. He wrenched Deathscythe's controls back toward the blips, surprised cries echoing out of his speakers. "Duo! Where are you going?"   
  
Sandrock immediately began to follow Deathscythe as the black suit took off and flew lower to the ground, looking for Wing Zero. Other blips indicated Heavyarms and Altron following close behind.   
  
What he saw made Duo's blood run cold.   
  
Zero lay crumpled on the ground, one arm and both legs crushed under its massive weight, and being rocked by attacks until its Gundanium alloy glowed bright red. At least ten suits were assaulting it at once.  
  
Anger flared up within Duo as he let loose a scream, diving into the foliage. "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERO!" Deathscythe brought its scythe to bear and decimated two suits at once, forcing the others to back away from the fallen Gundam.   
  
After an eternity of silence, Wufei stuttered in shock, "Peacecraft?"   
  
//Oh, crap.//   
  
  
  
  
  
-----------------------------  
Shi-chan: Probably 1 or 2 more chapters to go. See you then!

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&StoryID=278819&Chapter=4
   [2]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&StoryID=229476&Chapter=12



	9. Switch -- Part 9

Gundam Wing is copyright Sotsu, Sunrise, etc, etc, I wish I owned these bishounen, but I don't, so don't sue me, okay?   
  
-------------------------------  
Shi-chan: Same excuses as last chapter.  
Seki: And I quote: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm SORRY! No, I did *not* drop off the face of the earth!"   
Shi-chan: No, I fell into the Digimon section and got stuck. My apologies. Don't worry, I _will_ finish this, as well as my other GW fics. Reviews are good for helping me get the ball rolling. On with the fic!  
-------------------------------  
  
  
Switch  
Part 9  
~By Shimegami-chan   
Warnings: Shounen-ai, sap, fluff, etc...   
  
Music: "Starting Point," from Tamers  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Nice going, Maxwell,' was Duo's first thought, but it was too late to take back the words now. He powered down Deathscythe and vaulted out, running to Wing Zero and unlocking the pilot's hatch. Heero lay inside, unconscious, still restrained in his seat as the Gundam creaked around him with distant explosions. 

Duo pried his lover's limp body out of the cockpit with his manicured hands, putting Heero over his shoulder in the only manner Relena's frame could support the pilot's weight. The blonde Shinigami climbed down to the burned grass and tried to rouse Heero. "Heero, man, wake up!" 

Although the brown-haired pilot's pulse was steady, he didn't open his eyes. Quatre and Wufei were scrambling out of their Gundams while Heavyarms picked off the last of the Oz suits. 

Duo started to panic. "Come on, Hee-chan, we're in a world of trouble here! Wufei's going to kill Relena--or me, if he gets to me first!" 

Unfortunately, Heero's awakening was preceded by the arrival of one Chang Wufei--who was already fuming. "Peacecraft! Don't you know that removing that Gundam is considered _theft?_ You have no honor, commiting such a deed--if Maxwell knew, he would tear you apart! The battlefield is no place for women. Especially weak, snivelling onna like yourself." 

"Shut up, Chang!" Duo growled. 

Quatre spoke just in time. "That was an excellent save you made, Relena-san. You may have saved Heero's life." 

"I didn't know you were capable of operating a mobile suit," Trowa said mildly, appearing behind the others. 

"Yes, well, I picked it up somewhere..." Duo giggled in what he hoped was a feminine way, and turned his attention back to Heero. 

The Wing Zero pilot's eyes fluttered open. "Wha...?" 

"Heero!" Duo hugged his lover tightly, despite the cuts and bruises all over his body. Heero wouldn't want to be coddled. 

Heero smiled sadly, his fingers brushing our Duo's honey-colored braid. "What happened?" 

"They ganged up on you, Heero. You must have hit your head on the console or something." Quatre offered. 

"I'm getting weak," the brown-haired pilot said with a sigh, but only a touch of remorse. "At least we got them." 

"You can thank Peacecraft for that," Wufei said bitterly. "She cut down half a dozen suits using Duo's Gundam." 

"Relena did _what?_" Sally Po asked incredoulously. She, Hilde and the Maguanacs had approached and definitely walked in on the wrong end of the conversation. Duo stared at Hilde imploringly. 

Hilde's mouth opened and closed, probably considering whether or not to bail out her ex-boyfriend. "Well, of course she did!" 

Sally stared. "What do you mean, 'of course'?" 

"I taught her myself." Hilde stared at Relena haughtily. "Can't you tell?" 

"Obviously!" Quatre laughed, coming to Duo's rescue. "I mean, she fights just like you, Hilde!" 

"Why, thank you!" 

Duo breathed a sigh of relief, giving Heero a sweet kiss. The secret was safe...for now. 

---------------------------------- 

That night, Duo apologized to Hilde for the incident that afternoon and thanked her profusely for helping him. 

"It was okay." Hilde seemed much more forgiving, after Duo had promised to personally talk to Ojousan about setting the two girls up. "After I saw you in Deathscythe, I couldn't even doubt it anymore."

Duo smiled. "I'm sure we'll fix this soon--hopefully before Wu-man goes all 'justice' and 'honor' on me again. I can't sit through his 'onna-are-evil' speech again." 

"He wouldn't try it in front of Sally," Hilde assured him. "Or me." 

"Either way, I'm not interested in being in this body any more than I have to. I hope Ojousan comes back soon." 

------------------------------------ 

In the wee hours of the night, the two lovers lay together in almost-silence. 

"Duo..."

"Hmm?" 

"Do you think...you could be stuck like that, forever?" 

The thought was almost more than the American could bear. "Hell no." 

"But what happens if you are?" 

Duo was silent for a long time. "That's not my decision to make, it's yours." 

"I still love you," Heero said hoarsely. "I always will." 

Despite the words, though, both knew that the relationship would be in danger if this kept up. Heero wasn't attracted to the opposite sex...at all. And although every couple claims that appearances don't matter, this was a major change for both of them to adapt to. Duo didn't feel comfortable even undressing hiself--the breasts, the hips, the..._femininity_--were not his, and never would be. Nor did he want them. And Heero didn't find Relena attractive in the least. 

"Always." 

----------------------------------- 

Relena Peacecraft was having a bad day. 

She couldn't speak frankly to Dorothy with Zechs and Noin in the room, and didn't want them to find out about her little 'switch.' And she could only image the things that Duo might be doing! What if he dyed her hair, or tried to shave, or something? The thought made the princess shudder. _There's got to be something I can do!_

Noin was running scanners on the mysterious star while Zechs looked on. "It's...frozen. Completely." 

"But stars are supposed to be hot, right?" Relena asked. 

"Yes. This must be _ancient..._it's completely crystallized and frozen in the vacuum. The other star is the danger. If they collide, it'll create a black hole, certianly." 

Relena gasped. "The star will be destroyed!" _And I'll never get back to normal! Oh God, please, crystal star, I don't want to be Duo! He can have Heero for all I care!_

Zechs moved to the pilot's controls. "Have you gotten all the data, Noin?" 

"Yes, I have all I need." 

"Great. Let's get out of here." 

----------------------------------- 

Duo lay awake long into the night, staring at the ceiling. His bare skin was warmed by the heat of Heero's body, sleeping beside him. 

The young pilot ran his hands over his smooth face, long neck, and curved chest. _Could_ it be possible that he was stuck like this forever? 

---------------------------------- 

"They're colliding," Dorothy said breathlessly, staring at the screen. "My God." 

Zechs watched intently. "The video camera will be obliterated for certain...Noin, are you recording this?" The young woman nodded assent. 

As the group watched, the friction between the two stars seemed to tear a hole in space itself, drawing crystal, heat, light and video camera into it. The video feed winked out. 

"Gone." Noin said quietly. 

"Maxwell?" Dorothy shook Relena's shoulder, who was staring blankly at the monitor. "Hey, are you all right?" 

_Please crystal star..._

Relena blinked once, and then dropped to the floor in a dead faint. 

--------------------------------- 

"Duo. _Duo!_" 

Duo woke up with a groan. "N-Noin?" 

"What happened?" the young officer looked concerned. 

"How did I get here?" He was lying on a cold floor with blankets heaped on top of him. "What the hell...!?" 

"You passed out," Zechs offered simply. "Right after the stars collided. I thought we were far enough away to not feel any of the radiation aftershock, but perhaps we weren't. Are you feeling all right?" 

"Yeah...I'm fine..." Duo felt his flightsuit beneath his fingers and sighed in releif. His chestnut braid lay across his flat chest, his pistol was snug against his hip. Had it all been a dream, induced by the star colliding? The whole body-snatching experience? 

He touched the collar of his jumpsuit, but the silver cross wasn't around his neck. 

Duo didn't care, so long as he was himself again. "I need to talk to Heero." 

Noin nodded and stood up from the computer console. "Let the others know that the mission was a success, and that we're on our way back." 

"Right." Duo struggled to his feet and leaned on the console before sitting down, still feeling weak. He typed out a quick message and hit 'send.' 

Heero -- We've switched back! Everything is back to normal, and the mission was a success. I'll be home soon. Love you. --Duo

Duo smiled and ran a hand through his messy bangs, glad to have his body back. _All's well that ends well, I guess._ The computer beeped a moment later, and Duo realized that Heero's laptop had probably alerted him of the incoming message right away. He opened up the mailbox and clicked on the new icon. 

Duo -- Glad to hear everything is okay. Hope to see you soon. Love you too. --Heero 

The admission still thrilled Duo whenever he heard it. _He loves me. We're gonna be okay._

His heart singing, Duo stared out the viewport into the blackness of space. "We're gonna be okay." 

------------------------- 

Back at the mansion, Wufei awoke from some pleasant dreams about Sally to hear screams in the distance. He yanked open the window and stuck his head out. 

"Shut up Maxwell, before I stuff that braid down your throat!" 

The Chinese pilot slammed the window down and returned to bed before even wondering when Duo had returned from his mission--or why the American was swimming in the lake at that hour anyway. 

"Stupid onna." With that, Wufei turned over and went back to sleep. 

------------------------

Shi-chan: And that's that! I may do an epilogue if anybody wants one, since there are some loose ends left. Hope you all enjoyed! 


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